Lancaster

Lancaster's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, marriage and health.

The population reached nearly 140,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Lancaster increased by 3.3%, from just under 134,000 to 138,000.

The addition of just under 4,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Lancaster was home to, on average, 1.7 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Lancaster

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Lancaster increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This city had a slightly higher average age than the North West and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 3,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 3,000.

About 12% of people in Lancaster are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Lancaster by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Lancaster

The percentage of Lancaster residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.3% to 3.9% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.9%, while the percentage of Lancaster residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90% to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Lancaster

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 26% said they had no religion. An increase from 15% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Lancaster.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from 11% to 21%, while across England the percentage went from 16% to 27%.

Around 71% of those who disclosed their religion in Lancaster said they were Christian, down from 84% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, up from 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation fell from 9.5% to 7.6% between the last two censuses.

In Lancaster, 7.6% chose not to disclose their religious affiliation. In North West the percentage was 6.7% and across England the percentage was 7.7%.

The population without a religion in Lancaster increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Lancaster by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Lancaster

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Lancaster, but at a slower rate than in Canterbury (one of the most statistically similar areas to Lancaster based on ONS area classifications).

In Lancaster, the proportion of single people increased from 33% in 2001 to 37% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Canterbury increased from 32% to 39%.

Across the North West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 30% to 36%.

The proportion of married people in Lancaster fell from 47% to 44%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 11% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Lancaster residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.9% to 5.8% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of Lancaster residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Lancaster decreased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Lancaster, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Lancaster, but at a slower rate than across the North West.

In Lancaster, the proportion of private renting increased from 15% in 2001 to 19% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 8.5% to 15%.

Across the North West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in Lancaster remained close to 10.0%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 73% to 69%.

Private renting in Lancaster increased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lancaster, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Lancaster, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.8% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in three (33%) households had only one person, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lancaster which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 33% to 31%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Lancaster increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lancaster, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Lancaster

In 2011, 2.7% of the local population said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups. An increase from 1.1% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Lancaster.

Across the North West, the percentage of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 3.8% to 6.2%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 96% of people in Lancaster said they were from the White ethnic groups, down from 98% in 2001. About 1.0% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from 0.6% 10 years prior.

The percentage of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups rose from 0.2% to 0.5% between the last two censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Lancaster increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Lancaster by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Lancaster working less than 16 hours increased from 2.5% to 3.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Lancaster increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Lancaster, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

The percentage of Lancaster residents that were studying increased from 4.0% to 5.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under one in two (48%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 46% in 2001. The percentage of Lancaster residents that were unemployed decreased from 3.6% to 3.3%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Lancaster increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Lancaster, the North West and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Lancaster with only adult children living with their parents increased from 7.7% to 8.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 28% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lancaster without children increased from 65% to 66%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (which remained close to 10%). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Lancaster residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.2% to 2.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.1%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Lancaster remained close to 2.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Lancaster by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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